


Hermann Gottlieb vs. Feelings

by OnyxSphynx



Series: newmann one-shots [25]
Category: Pacific Rim (Movies)
Genre: Fluff, Getting Together, M/M, Post-Operation Pitfall (Pacific Rim)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-03
Updated: 2019-03-03
Packaged: 2019-11-08 22:15:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 717
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17989496
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OnyxSphynx/pseuds/OnyxSphynx
Summary: Hermann may have ten years of experience, but he's really, really dumb sometimes





	Hermann Gottlieb vs. Feelings

**Author's Note:**

> intcrstcllar asked: "29.....  
> "29: “My parents asked about you again”"

“My parents asked about you again,” Newt says one morning over breakfast, slathering an unholy amount of Nutella on his pancakes, the heat making the chocolate spread drip onto his fingers.

Hermann peers at him over the paper, scowls at the sight. “Use a napkin, you heathen,” he scolds. “And I wasn’t aware they had asked after me before.”

Newt grins and stuffs the entire pancake into his mouth, making Hermann sniff in disgust. Thankfully, he swallows before speaking. “Yeah, they were like, weirdly insistent about it? I don’t know, man. Monica was asking about, uh, floral arrangements, I think? And Dad said something about “kids these days…”.”

“Mm,” Hermann hums, absentmindedly flicking to the next page. “Well, the only floral arrangements in our life are your quickly-dying cacti.” Newt gasps.

“How dare you! I take good care of them!”

There’s a moment of silence as they both glance towards the windowsill, where three sad, dejected, and browning cacti wilt forlornly in their pots, and Newt scowls. “Well,  _you_ try caring for them, why don’t you!”

“I think I shall,” Hermann replies. “And I’ll do a damn better job than you.”

The set of Newt’s jaw reads  _indignant_ and  _stubborn_ , and he says, “Oh, that’s how you’re gonna play it, huh? Aloof and dark and handsome? Well, two can play that game––you’ll see, in a week my plants will be  _vibrant_.”

“Of course they will,” Hermann smiles. Newt narrows his eyes.

The end of the week does not, as Newt had insisted, see his plants as  _vibrant_. They’re still a bit browned and crisp around the edges, but, by some miracle, they’ve stopped actively dying. “That absolutely  _does_ count!” Newt argues that night, pressed against Hermann’s side in the tiny bed. “They are, comparatively speaking,  _vibrant_.”

Hermann sighs. “They are not, Newton, just accept it. And please, for the love of all things holy, go to sleep.” Newt lets out a grumble but settles down slightly, head against Hermann’s shoulder.

It feels…comforting, to have the other this close. Hermann tries not to examine the thought too closely.

-

“I made you a cup of coffee,” Newt says. “Figured you could use it after today.” The unspoken  _I felt your stress_ hangs between them, the remnants of the Drift. It’s mostly gone, now, but occasionally, things still slip through.

Hermann accepts the cup gratefully. “Thank you,” he says, and Newt nods. They sit, for a moment, Hermann sipping the bitter drink, silence stretching between them, and Hermann thinks,  _this is nice_.

“Yeah, it is,” Newt mumbles absentmindedly, and Hermann freezes.

“Sorry, what?”

Newt’s gaze snaps to his. “You said…oh, crap, you didn’t say that out loud, did you?” he asks weakly. “Sorry.”

Hermann stares at him for a moment, and thinks, very clearly,  _how long?_

“Haha, um,” Newt glances around, looking for an escape, but Hermann reaches out, grasping his wrist.

“How long?”

Newt stares at the ground intently. “…since the Drift,” he says, guiltily. “I thought you had the same thing?” Hermann fixes him with a glare. “Oh, that’s a no. Okay.”

“ _Yes_ , that’s a no, Newton,” Hermann hisses, slightly exasperated. “I can’t believe you didn’t tell me.”

“Well what was I supposed to say?” He throws up his free hand. “‘Oh Hermann, by the way, I can read your thoughts’? ‘Oh, by the way, I think you’re pretty too’? What was I supposed to say?”

Hermann pauses. “…what are you talking about?”

Newt blinks, taken aback. “…I can read your thoughts?”

“No, the other one!” Hermann snaps.

“You––what? Oh! Wait, I thought you knew that?” Newt stares at him, wide-eyed. “So you kept brushing off my advances because you…didn’t realize I was flirting?”

“No!” Hermann replies hotly.

Newt lets out a huff of laughter. “Dude, I legit call you “honey”, “darling”, “babe”, “handsome”, etcetera every day at least once. I even asked you out for coffee!”

“We graded papers!” Hermann shoots back, attempting to defend himself, and Newt rolls his eyes.

“You are  _the_ most oblivious person I’ve ever met,” he sighs. “Hermann, will you go on a date, like as in an “I like-like you will you date me?” date with me?”

Hermann glares. “Yes, but don’t think for one second you’re off the hook about this.”

“I’d never,” Newt grins.


End file.
